Trocar seal/protector assemblies

Abstract

Trocar assembly embodiments are disclosed that include a trocar tube and a housing defining a chamber adjoining a proximal end portion of the trocar tube. An elastomeric seal member is positioned within the chamber for sealing the chamber as an elongate instrument passes through an opening formed in the seal member. A seal/protector assembly is positioned in the chamber proximally of the seal member in facing relationship to the seal member. The protector assembly includes at least two axially aligned protector members, each of which has an annular collar portion and at least one leaf portion formed integrally with the collar portion so as to form a living hinge portion. The leaf portions define an opening therethrough in axial alignment with the opening in the seal member. Insertion of an elongate instrument into contact with the leaf portions causes them to pivot distally increasing the size of the opening formed thereby permitting the instrument to pass therethrough and through the opening in the seal member without causing damage to the seal member.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A trocar assembly for providing communication into an anatomical cavity, comprising: (a) a trocar tube defining an interior lumen having an open distal end portion and an open proximal end portion and further defining a long axis for accommodating axial movement of an elongate instrument of lesser cross-sectional dimension therethrough;   (b) a housing adjoining said proximal end portion of said trocar tube defining a chamber having open distal end portion and a proximal end portion that communicate with said lumen and permit axial movement of an elongate instrument therethrough;   (c) an elastomeric seal member positioned in said chamber for sealing said proximal end portion of said chamber, said seal member having an opening formed therein for permitting an elongate instrument to pass therethrough in sealing engagement therewith; and   (d) a seal/protector assembly positioned in said chamber adjacent to and proximally of said seal member in a facing relationship thereto for protecting said seal member as an elongate instrument moves axially through said seal member, said seal/protector assembly including at least two protector members positioned adjacent to and in alignment with one another along said long axis, each of said protector members having an integrally formed annular collar portion and at least one leaf portion formed integrally with said collar portion defining a living hinge portion at the intersection thereof about which said leaf portion is able to pivot distally and proximally, said leaf portions defining an opening therethrough in axial alignment with the opening in said seal member such that axial movement of an elongate instrument into contact with said leaf portions causes said leaf portions to pivot distally and thereby increase the size of the opening formed in said protector members to permit an elongate instrument to pass therethrough and then through the opening in said seal member without causing damage to said seal member.   
     
     
       2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein a leaf portion of each protector member is oriented with respect to a leaf portion of an immediately adjacent protector member so that such leaf portions are not in axial alignment with one another. 
     
     
       3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said protector assembly includes an inner protector member and an outer protector member, said inner and outer protector members each including a pair of opposed leaf portions that occupy a substantial portion of the area defined within said collar portion. 
     
     
       4. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein the collar portion of each of said protector members is secured to said housing. 
     
     
       5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said collar portions have a plurality of spaced apart openings formed therein and said housing includes mounting pins that extend through a corresponding opening in said collar portions. 
     
     
       6. The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein said openings in said collar portions are elongated in a radial direction so as to permit limited lateral movement of said protector members within said housing. 
     
     
       7. The invention as defined in claim 6 wherein an annular spacer ring is positioned between said inner protector member and said seal member. 
     
     
       8. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein each of said leaf portions is generally concave and defines an inner edge portion that is parallel and immediately adjacent the inner edge portion of the other leaf portion. 
     
     
       9. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said protector assembly includes an inner protector member, an outer protector member and an intermediate protector member positioned between said inner protector member and said outer protector member. 
     
     
       10. The invention as defined in claim 9 wherein each of said protector members includes a single leaf member that occupies a substantial portion of the area defined within said collar portion. 
     
     
       11. The invention as defined in claim 10 wherein said leaf portions associated with each of said protector members is oriented with respect to one another so as to close the area defined within said collar portions except for said opening in axial alignment with the opening in said seal member. 
     
     
       12. The invention as defined in claim 11 wherein each of said leaf members occupies about two-thirds of the area defined within each of said collar portions. 
     
     
       13. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said protector assembly includes an inner protector member and an outer protector member, said inner and outer protector members each including four generally pie-shaped leaf portions that occupy a substantial portion of the area defined within said collar portion. 
     
     
       14. The invention as defined in claim 13 wherein the collar portion of each of said protector members is secured to said housing. 
     
     
       15. The invention as defined in claim 14 wherein said collar portions have a plurality of spaced apart openings formed therein and said housing includes mounting pins that extend through a corresponding opening in said collar portions. 
     
     
       16. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said seal member has an outer surface that has an annular recess portion formed therein and the protector member adjacent said seal member has an annular section that is received in said recess portion. 
     
     
       17. The invention as defined in claim 16 wherein said recess portion is defined by an annular ramp portion extending outwardly from the outer surface of said seal member. 
     
     
       18. A trocar assembly for providing communication into an anatomical cavity, comprising: (a) a trocar tube defining an interior lumen having an open distal end portion and an open proximal end portion for accommodating axial movement of an elongate instrument of lesser cross-sectional dimension therethrough;   (b) a housing adjoining said proximal end portion of said trocar tube defining a chamber having open distal end portion and a proximal end portion that communicate with said lumen and permit axial movement of an elongate instrument therethrough;   (c) an elastomeric seal member positioned in said chamber for sealing said proximal end portion of said chamber, said seal member having an opening formed therein for permitting an elongate instrument to pass therethrough in sealing engagement therewith; and   (d) a seal/protector assembly positioned in said chamber adjacent to and proximally of said seal member in a facing relationship thereto for protecting said seal member as an elongate instrument moves axially through said seal member, said seal/protector assembly including an inner protector member and an outer protector member positioned adjacent to and in axial alignment with one another, said inner and outer protector members having an integrally formed annular collar portion and at least one leaf portion formed integrally with said collar portion defining a living hinge portion at the intersection thereof about which said leaf portions are able to pivot distally and proximally, said leaf portions of said inner protector member being oriented with respect of said leaf portions of said outer protector member so that said leaf portions are not in axial alignment with one another, said leaf portions defining an opening therethrough in axial alignment with the opening in said seal member such that axial movement of an elongate instrument into contact with said leaf portions causes said leaf portions to pivot distally increasing the size of the opening formed in said protector members to permit an elongate instrument to pass therethrough and then through the opening in said seal member without causing damage to said seal member.   
     
     
       19. The invention as defined in claim 18 wherein at least one of said protector members is attached to said seal member. 
     
     
       20. The invention as defined in claim 19 wherein said outer protector member having a plurality of spaced apart distally extending stem portions, said inner protector member having openings through which said stem portions extend, and said seal member having openings through which said stem portions extend. 
     
     
       21. The invention as defined in claim 20 wherein said stems are formed so as to maintain said inner protector member in contact with said seal member. 
     
     
       22. The invention as defined in claim 21 wherein said seal member is formed with a corrugated portion and said openings in said seal member extend through said corrugated portion. 
     
     
       23. The invention as defined in claim 19 wherein said seal member is formed with an inwardly extending annular flange that defines an inwardly opening cavity adjacent said opening in said seal member and said outer protector member is formed with a flange portion that is received within said cavity. 
     
     
       24. The invention as defined in claim 18 wherein said seal member is funnel-shaped and said inner and outer protector members have at least one funnel-shaped leaf portion. 
     
     
       25. The invention as defined in claim 18 wherein said seal member includes a plurality of spaced apart ribs that extend outwardly from an outer surface thereof and said inner protector member includes a plurality of spaced apart recess portions for receipt of a corresponding rib therein. 
     
     
       26. The invention as defined in claim 25 wherein said ribs and said recess portions extend radially with respect to said opening in said seal member. 
     
     
       27. The invention as defined in claim 26 wherein said outer protector member is provided with an annular rib portion extending from the inner surface thereof to create a space between said outer protector member and said inner protector member adjacent said opening in said seal member. 
     
     
       28. The invention as defined in claim 18 wherein said seal member includes an inner section and an outer section, said outer section having a peripheral edge that is attached to said housing. 
     
     
       29. The invention as defined in claim 28 wherein a corrugated portion is formed in said outer portion of said seal member. 
     
     
       30. The invention as defined in claim 29 wherein said collar portions of said protector members are attached to said inner section of said seal member so as to permit lateral movement thereof within said housing to accommodate off-center orientation of an elongate instrument extending therethrough. 
     
     
       31. The invention as defined in claim 30 wherein said collar portions of said protector members and said seal member have spaced apart axially aligned opening formed therein. 
     
     
       32. The invention as defined in claim 31 wherein said protector members are attached to said seal member by an annular inner retainer ring that has posts projecting outwardly therefrom extending through corresponding openings in said protector members and said seal member and an annular outer retainer ring having openings formed therein to receive the outer ends of said posts. 
     
     
       33. The invention as defined in claim 32 wherein said housing includes spaced apart parallel surfaces that cooperate with outer surfaces of said inner retainer ring and said outer retainer ring to limit axial movement of said protector members. 
     
     
       34. The invention as defined in claim 30 wherein an annular recess is formed between said inner section and said outer section of said seal member having a plurality of spaced apart stem members extending upwardly from a base portion thereof. 
     
     
       35. The invention as defined in claim 34 wherein a generally U-shaped seal insert is received within said recess, said insert including a base portion having a plurality of spaced apart openings through which said stem members extend to secure said insert to said seal member. 
     
     
       36. The invention as defined in claim 35 wherein a protector holder member is received within said insert, said protector holder member having a plurality of spaced apart protector mounting pins that extend through corresponding openings formed in said collar portions of said protector members. 
     
     
       37. The invention as defined in claim 36 wherein said insert has a wall portion that has an annular notch formed therein and the protector holder member has a snap-in latch portion that is received in said notch to secure said protector holder to said insert. 
     
     
       38. The invention as defined in claim 36 wherein said protector members and said inner section of said seal member float within said housing permitting lateral and axial movement thereof as an elongate member extends therethrough in off-centered orientation. 
     
     
       39. The invention as defined in claim 18 wherein said seal member has a distally projecting funnel-shaped portion defining said opening. 
     
     
       40. A seal/protector assembly for use in protecting an elastomeric seal member in a trocar assembly as an elongate instrument moves axially through the seal member, said seal/protector assembly comprising: at least two protector members positioned adjacent to and in axial alignment with one another;   each of said protector members having an integrally formed annular collar portion and at least one leaf portion formed integrally with said collar portion defining living hinge portion at the intersection thereof about which said leaf portion is able to pivot; and   said leaf portions defining an opening therethrough.   
     
     
       41. The invention as defined in claim 40 wherein a leaf portion of each protector member is oriented with respect to a leaf portion of an immediately adjacent protector member so that such leaf portions are not in axial alignment with one another. 
     
     
       42. The invention as defined in claim 41 wherein said protector assembly includes an inner protector member and an outer protector member, said inner and outer protector members each including a pair of opposed leaf portions that occupy a substantial portion of the area defined within said collar portion. 
     
     
       43. The invention as defined in claim 42 wherein each of said leaf portions is generally concave and defines an inner edge portion that is parallel and immediately adjacent the inner edge portion of the other leaf portion. 
     
     
       44. The invention as defined in claim 41 wherein said protector assembly includes an inner protector member, an outer protector member and an intermediate protector member positioned between said inner protector member and said outer protector member. 
     
     
       45. The invention as defined in claim 44 wherein each of said protector members includes a single leaf member that occupies a substantial portion of the area defined within said collar portion. 
     
     
       46. The invention as defined in claim 45 wherein said leaf portions associated with each of said protector members is oriented with respect to one another so as to close the area defined within said collar portions except for said opening in axial alignment with the opening in said seal member. 
     
     
       47. The invention as defined in claim 46 wherein each of said leaf members occupies about two-thirds of the area defined within each of said collar portions. 
     
     
       48. The invention as defined in claim 41 wherein said protector assembly includes an inner protector member and an outer protector member, said inner and outer protector members each including four generally pie-shaped leaf portions that occupy a substantial portion of the area defined within said collar portion.